Iranian lay pastor, Hamid Pourmand remains in a Tehran prison, convicted of deceiving the Iranian Army about his conversion to Christianity in 1980. He was sentenced to three years in prison and was dismissed from the army. According to Middle East Concern, Pourmand is facing pressure in the prison to return to Islam. His family is without any source of income at this time, apart from support from other Christians. His oldest son, Immanual, is presently studying abroad. His wife, Arlet, and their youngest son, David, have moved to Tehran. According to Compass Direct, Pourmand has been allowed two home visits since the end of June. Continue to pray for Pourmand and his family. Pray for his soon release.
Update: Iranian Prisoner Pressured to Convert to Islam
- Current Ministry Fund
By funding television broadcasts, VOMC is making it possible for a vast audience of viewers to be reached throughout Iran with the "Good News" of Jesus' love via satellite.
Project Fund: Underground Church
- Country Information
Designation
PersecutedPopulation
87,590,873 (2023 est.)Ethnicity
Persian, Azeri, Kurd, Lur, Baloch, Arab, Turkmen and Turkic tribesReligion (%)
Islam (98.5), Christian (0.7), Baha'i (0.3), agnostic (0.3), other (0.2)Leader
Ayatollah Ali Hoseini-Khamenei (1989)Government type
Theocratic republicLegal system
Religious legal system based on secular and Islamic lawSource: CIA World Factbook
- Pray for Iran
As the Gospel message goes forth over the airwaves, may the growth of the church continue to multiply despite persecution. Pray that the Iranian government will be open to change, allowing full rights and protection for its non-Muslim citizens as well. In the meantime, may those who are forced to flee the country find safe refuge and help so they can live in peace and worship the Lord with freedom.
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Iran News
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Christian Tortured During Pre-Trial Detention
Morteza Faghanpour-Saasi
Photo: Article18In June 2024, five Christian converts in Iran were arrested because of their faith. More than a year later, on July 16th, these believers were convicted and sentenced to eight years in prison for allegedly promoting "propaganda." Little information is available about the five detained Christians, and only three of them have been identified thus far. The charges stem from their attendance at Biblical training courses in Türkiye, as well as their involvement with house churches and online Christian events in Iran.
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Retrial Denied for Imprisoned Believer
Mehran Shamloui
Photo: Article 18Iran's Supreme Court has recently rejected the application for a retrial that was submitted on behalf of Mehran Shamloui, a Christian believer who is currently serving a ten-year prison sentence for his participation in house church activities. Recipients of previously published Persecution & Prayer Alert reports may recall that Mehran had fled to Türkiye in search of refuge. While there, the accused Iranian was apprehended and forced to return to Iran, where he had subsequently been arrested. (The initially posted report regarding Mehran's arrest may be reviewed here.)
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Over 50 Arrested Christians Accused of Espionage
A map of Iran, marking the arrests
of Christians since June 24, 2025.
(Click on the image for a larger view.)
Photo: Article18Iran's Ministry of Intelligence and Security (MOIS) recently reported that over 50 Christians have been arrested since the end of the recent conflict between Iran and Israel in June 2025. The country's intelligence agency labelled the detained believers as "Mossad mercenaries," claiming that they had been trained by churches abroad and were now operating "under the guise of the Zionist Christian evangelization movement."
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Convicted Christian Deported and Arrested
Mehran Shamloui
Photo: Article 18On March 8th, Mehran Shamloui was one of three Christians convicted in Iran for "propaganda" and membership in an alleged "opposition group." He was sentenced to more than ten years in prison. (For more details, see this report.)
